interview with sweet: a literary confection

The very sweet editors at SWEET: A LITERARY CONFECTION have posted an interview with me, about my work in progress, and favorite writers, and why I write. Oh, and desserts.

“Little Colored Pills” was my second publication in SWEET, or third, I guess. I still remember how excited I was when “Summer Siren” and “The Fortuneteller’s Words” were accepted by Ira Sukrungruang. (I love his essays! He sent me an email from his phone! A novelty for me at the time.)

Very grateful to the current nonfiction editor Alysia Sawchyn and the interviews editor Zoe Lennox.

Being reminded that I'm a writer worth interviewing, and that "Little Colored Pills" was a breakthrough of sorts helps a lot right now when my spirits are down. I accomplished so little this summer. Classes have started. Simplifying my website, grouping publications by year instead of providing so much detail, also has me depressed. My productivity is waning, or so it seems, particularly in longer forms.

The interview makes my work in progress seem easy when it's not at all. "The Lunatics' Ball combines a lot of very disparate materials and kinds of writing and I'm still not sure what shape it will take." THERE's an understatement. The project is foundering, and I'm probably too sensitive to criticisms in my San Francisco writing group. I don't know whether this will ever cohere.